DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THREE-POINT HITCH DYNAMOMETER-INSTRUMENTATION AND CALIBRATION

G. MANIKANDAN¹, B. SHRIDAR²*, D. MANOHAR JESUDAS^3
1Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Agricultural Engineering College & Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
²Dean, Agricultural Engineering College & Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
³Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Agricultural Engineering College & Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
* Corresponding Author : deancaecbe@tnau.ac.in

Received : 05-10-2019     Accepted : 26-10-2019     Published : 30-10-2019
Volume : 11     Issue : 20       Pages : 9135 - 9139
Int J Agr Sci 11.20 (2019):9135-9139

Keywords : Three point hitch dynamometer, Draft, Calibration, WSN and Data acquisition system
Academic Editor : Mihaela Ivanova, P S Chintkuntalawar, Dr Murali S
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Authors are thankful to Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Agricultural Engineering College & Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
Author Contribution : All authors equally contributed

Three-point hitch dynamometer for the tractor was designed, developed, instrumented and calibrated. This three-point hitch dynamometer is suitable for use with tractors having category II or III hitch. The dynamometer has 6 load cells for measuring the soil reactions on the implement. These load cells are mounted between two sub frames and connected with Wireless Sensor Network. The data acquisition system was NI WSN-3214 Strain Nodes, NI 9792 WSN real-time Gateway and computer running NI LAB View 2013 software with developed data logger program. The procedure for calculating the tillage force was developed and the dynamometer was tested in field and verified.

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